Life-boat.



No. 695,634. Patented M ar. 1a, 1902.

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LIFE BOAT.

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LIFE BOAT. (Applica tiou filed Sept 5, 1899. Renewed Feb. 15, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DICKENSON, I'VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LIFE- BOAT.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,634, dated March18, 1902.

Application filed September 5, 1899. Renewed February 15, 1902. SerialNo. 94,184. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DICKENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Life- Saving Apparatus; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to life-saving appliances, and more particularly tothat class for saving lives at sea, and the object is to provide asimple, convenient, and practical device for this purpose. 1

To this end the invention consists in a nonsinkable, self righting andbailing life-boat.

My invention further consists in a launchin g-cradle, in combinationwith said life-boat, whereby said life-boat may be safely launched atsea without the aid of davits or any other tackle whatever.

My invention further consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement'of the several elements of the device, as will behereinafter more fully described, and par ticularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate thesame part of the invention. V

Figure l is a perspective of my improved life-boat as it appears afloatand held head to by the marine drag-anchor. gitudinal section ofthelife-boat. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the boat taken aboutamidships. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section of one of theventilators. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing the valve 22 inelevation.

9 denotes the life-boat, and 10 its keel,which slides along rollers in acradle, while the side rails thereof support the boat in an uprightposition while in the cradle.

11 denotes the hull of the boat, which is preferably formed of metallicsheets stamped up and formed or shaped like the well-known standardwhale-boat, but having more sheer, fuller lines, and less beam. The hullis almost fiat-bottomed to make a landing in shallow water.

12 denotes the sunken deck running from Fig. 2 is a l0n-' deck there isa hatch or manhole 13 for safely stowing the cargo under the deck, sothat the cargo will be below the center of gravity and the centerboard.

16 16 denote thefresh-water tanks, provided with hand-pumps 17 17. Thesetanks form a continuation of the centerboard-well and constitute alongitudinal bulkhead beneath the sunken deck. The construction rendersthe boat self-bailin g. the water will run out by gravity through thecenterboard-well, and should it be thrown on its beam-ends the center ofgravity being beneath the sunken deck it will immediately right itselfon even keel.

l8 denotes the bilge-pump to remove any water that may accidentallyenter below deck.

19 19 denote large raised hoods at each end or the boat. They arewater-tight and provided with manhole-doors 20 20, which may be openedor closed from the inside or outside. Each hood is also provided withdeadlights 20' and a ven tilat'or-pipe 21 to circulate fresh air insidethe boat, and the tubes are eachprovided with a self-acting valve22,from which a chain 23 extends and terminates in a ball-weight '24,which when the valve is open rests in a pocket or shelf 25, and shouldconstruction prevents the possibility of any Water entering the hoodsthrough the airtubes.

From the manner of construction the great sheer and the large air-hoods,the sunken deck,with almost the entire weight well down to her keel, shewill instantly right herself should she accidentally capsize. The openspace between the hoods contain thwarts or seats 26 26 from which thecrew can manage the boat with oars. 27 and 28 denote longitudinaltubesrrunning diagonally through the hoods to the lower part of the stemandjsternposts and almost down to the line of the keel.

29 denotes a Windlass placed amidships on top of the thwarts, from whicha wire cable 30 Should it ship-a sea,

the boat capsize this valve will close. This prevent the possibility ofits shifting should let denotes the centerboard-well, and 15 extends inopposite directions through the tubes 27 and 28 and through a dead-eye31, fixed to a line 32 and extending through the stem and stern postsand having its free end secured to suitable cleats 83'. I also provide asmall cable 34 and a sea anchor or drag 35, so that when adrift the boatwill always swing head to the sea and remain so until picked up orrescued.

The manner of launching myimproved lifeboatat sea is very simple and canbe accomplished with absolute safety and in the heaviest sea in a fewminutes times, as follows: It is assumed that the boat is provisionedand herpassengersstowedaboard. Beforelaunching it is onlynecessary toswing a cradle provided for the purpose around on its pivotbolt to thelee side, and with the cradle at an incline and its outer end extendingover the gunwale of the vessel and the lashing which holds the boat tothe cradle cut and at once the boat will shoot clear of'the vessel,striking the water a safe distance from the lee side without any undueshock, the sea acting as acushion to receive the boat. The sea-anchor isnow cast overboard, which brings the boathead to, in which position shedrifts till picked up.

In case the vessel is stranded and the lifeboat is to be used to makerepeated trips between the wreck and the shore the manner of handling itunder such circumstances is equally simple. One end of the cable 30 ismade fast to the vessel and when the boat is launched, as hereinbeforedescribed, its reel will contain all the cable necessary for the boat toreach the shore. When the shore is reached, the end of the cable may bemade fast orsuitably anchored on shore. The windlass is now worked toreturn the boat to the wreck,which when reached the cable is hauled upto the stem-post by means of the hand-line 32, so that the strain on thecable is transferred from the keel to the upper end of the stem-post toinsure safety and prevent capsizing when the boat has been inverted andthe ball 2; has left the bracket 25 and closed the valve 22. Thepressure of the body of water entering the ventilator-pipe 21 holds thevalve closed against any action of the ball 24 and the chain 23.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my life-saving apparatus inthe best form now known to me; but various changes in the details may bemade within the skill of a good mechanic without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the principles of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. The combination with a life-boat provided with a sunken deck andhoods extending above said sunken deck-one hood at each end of saidboat; each of said hoods provided with an air-tube extending above andopening outside of said hood: open shelves 25 secured to the body of thevessel below the deck thereof in near proximity to the lower ends ofsaid hoods; and the self-acting pivot-valve 22; the chain 23 providedwith the ball 24, whereby the self-acting valves will be operative whensaid boat is on its bilge or when entirely inverted; substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. A life-boat comprising a hull; a sunken deck; a centerboard-wellforming a self-bailing compartment in communication with said sunkendeck; longitudinal bulkheads forming continuations of saidcenterboard-well, and forming also, part of the longitudinal bulkheadsbeneath said sunken deck; and fresh-water tanks located at the oppositeends ofsaid centerboard-well; substantiallyas and for the purpose setforth.

3. A life-boat comprising a hull, a sunken deck and the raised hoods, incombination with the diagonal pipes, 27, the cable, 30, and the cable,32, provided with the dead-eye, 31, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

4. A life-boat comprising the hull, the deck and the raised hoods, incombination with the diagonal pipes, 2'7 and 28, extending through thehood, deck and hull, and the Windlass, 29, and its cables, 30 30,extending in opposite directions through said pipes, 27 28,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES DICKENSON.

Witnesses II. J. ENNIS, GARRETT M. DAVIs.

